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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
It took time for me to get into this one, but by the end I was desperately in love with the story and with each of the characters. Swoon.
It's been decades since I read Jane Eyre. I remember enjoying it. I was a little nervous before reading this that I would miss some of the allusions to it, but in Lindsay Faye's skilled hands it didn't matter. It took a few pages but I was drawn into the story and this unusual heroine....you see, the story begins with Jane's first murder. and she is a very principled and compassionate murderer. you need to read this. fantastic book
The first half was great, the second half trailed off for me and kind of failed to live up to the promise of the first (Jane Eyre-like serial killer?! Yes please!). I like a good gothic romance, but this almost felt like two separate ideas smashed into one novel. Still, fun!
I totally loved this book! Lyndsay Faye is a great author and I've liked all her books but this one is my favorite to date.
This is not exactly a retelling of "Jane Eyre." It is more of a story of a young woman who goes through similar circumstances but reacts differently. The protagonist is "aware" of the story of Jane Eyre and refers to it often. I liked the narrative and enjoyed reading it. At least until the last portion when she falls in love with her employer.....leave it to a man to mess up a story.
Loved this audio. The voice is pitch perfect for England sometime after Jane Eyre is published, but the events move forward with time and in good speed and flair for modern readers. Also I loved the East India Company mystery and all the curry flavor. So glad LITSY told me about it!
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well this was an absolute, unexpected delight! I think maybe the description of “serial killer meets Jane Eyre” is not truly representative of what this is, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was gothic and ridiculous and over the top, and it completely swept me up. I loved the smart fierce protagonist (and the fact that I didn’t really have to spend much time handwringing over her morality). I loved the interesting men, who so clearly fell into either “totally evil and gross” or “handsome and charming and insightful and respectful”. I was engaged without having to actually think much. Just what I needed at the end of January 2025. The perfect gothic escapism, like a really well-written and interesting soap opera.
3.5 Don't expect this to be very dark in the murder aspect. For a book about a murderer, it's very safe. I thought it would be about a somewhat morally corrupt character but that wasn't what it was about. Though there is a lot of dark stuff that the character experiences that were hard to read at times. I did like it and enjoy it. It could've been so much more though.